Academy vs. College — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on April 16, 2024
An academy generally refers to a secondary or high school level institution, focusing on specialized subjects, while a college typically denotes a tertiary education institution offering a range of degrees.
Difference Between Academy and College
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
An academy often caters to secondary education and may specialize in particular fields like arts or sciences, whereas a college is primarily a post-secondary institution providing a broader spectrum of undergraduate and sometimes graduate degrees.
In some contexts, academies are seen as preparatory schools, preparing students for college education, while colleges focus on providing students with professional skills and academic knowledge necessary for their careers.
Academies sometimes function as private entities with selective admission policies, focusing on intensive education in specific areas, whereas colleges are usually more inclusive, offering a variety of academic programs and degrees.
The term "academy" can also refer to an institution devoted to the study and development of a particular skill or field, like a military academy, on the other hand, "college" commonly refers to components of universities or standalone higher education institutions that confer degrees.
Internationally, the perception of academies and colleges varies; in the UK, for example, academies are publicly funded schools offering free education, while colleges often provide vocational education or A-level courses necessary for university entry.
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Comparison Chart
Education Level
Secondary (or specialized institutions)
Tertiary (higher education)
Focus
Specialized subjects or preparatory education
Broad range of academic and professional degrees
Admission
Often selective
Usually less selective
Types
Military, arts, sciences
Community colleges, liberal arts colleges
International Usage
Varies, often state-funded in the UK
Often refers to constituents of universities
Compare with Definitions
Academy
A society or institution dedicated to promoting art, science, or literature.
He was elected as a member of the national science academy.
College
An institution of higher education offering undergraduate programs.
He went to college to study engineering.
Academy
A place of study or training in a special field.
She's enrolling in a dance academy to pursue her dreams of becoming a professional dancer.
College
An institution that confers degrees at the bachelor, master, or doctoral level.
After four years at college, she earned her bachelor's degree.
Academy
A private school with a focus on personal attention and rigorous academics.
The academy’s small class sizes ensure personalized education.
College
Part of a university focusing on a specific academic area.
The college of business offers several MBA programs.
Academy
A secondary school with a focus on specific subjects.
The academy specializes in science and technology.
College
A standalone institution offering specialized professional or vocational education.
The community college offers two-year associate degrees.
Academy
An institution for learning, training, or development in a specific field.
She attended a military academy to become an officer.
College
A residential building housing students at a university.
She lived in the college dormitory during her freshman year.
Academy
An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary or tertiary higher learning, research, or honorary membership. The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, founded approximately 385 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the goddess of wisdom and skill, north of Athens, Greece.
College
A college (Latin: collegium) is an educational institution or a constituent part of one. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, a part of a collegiate or federal university, an institution offering vocational education, or a secondary school.
Academy
A place of study or training in a special field
A police academy
College
An institution of higher learning that grants the bachelor's degree in liberal arts or science or both.
Academy
A society or institution of distinguished scholars and artists or scientists that aims to promote and maintain standards in its particular field
The Royal Academy of Arts
College
An undergraduate division or school of a university offering courses and granting degrees in a particular field or group of fields.
Academy
A school for special instruction.
College
A junior or community college.
Academy
A secondary or college-preparatory school, especially a private one.
College
A school offering special instruction in a professional or technical subject
A medical college.
Academy
The academic community; academe
"When there's moral leadership from the White House and from the academy, people tend to adjust" (Jesse Jackson).
College
The students, faculty, and administration of one of these schools or institutions
New policies adopted by the college.
Academy
Higher education in general. Used with the.
College
The building, buildings, or grounds where one of these schools or institutions is located
Drove over to the college.
Academy
A society of scholars, scientists, or artists.
College
Chiefly British A self-governing society of scholars for study or instruction, incorporated within a university.
Academy
Plato's school for advanced education and the first institutional school of philosophy.
College
An institution for secondary education in France and certain other countries that is not supported by the state.
Academy
Platonism.
College
A body of persons having a common purpose or shared duties
A college of surgeons.
Academy
The disciples of Plato.
College
An electoral college.
Academy
The garden where Plato taught.
College
A body of clerics living together on an endowment.
Academy
Plato's philosophical system based on skepticism; Plato's followers.
College
(obsolete) A corporate group; a group of colleagues.
Academy
An institution for the study of higher learning; a college or a university; typically a private school.
College
(in some proper nouns) A group sharing common purposes or goals.
College of Cardinals, College of Surgeons
Academy
A school or place of training in which some special art is taught.
The military academy at West Point; a riding academy; the Academy of Music.; a music academy; a language academy
College
(politics) An electoral college.
Academy
A society of learned people united for the advancement of the arts and sciences, and literature, or some particular art or science.
The French Academy; the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; academies of literature and philology.
College
An academic institution.
Academy
(obsolete) The knowledge disseminated in an Academy.
College
A specialized division of a university.
College of Engineering
Academy
Academia.
College
An institution of higher education teaching undergraduates.
She's still in college
These should be his college years, but he joined the Army.
Academy
A body of established opinion in a particular field, regarded as authoritative.
College
A university.
Academy
A school directly funded by central government, independent of local control.
College
(Canada) A postsecondary institution that offers vocational training and/or associate's degrees.
Academy
A garden or grove near Athens (so named from the hero Academus), where Plato and his followers held their philosophical conferences; hence, the school of philosophy of which Plato was head.
College
A non-specialized, semi-autonomous division of a university, with its own faculty, departments, library, etc.
Pembroke College, Cambridge
Balliol College, Oxford
University College, London
Academy
An institution for the study of higher learning; a college or a university. Popularly, a school, or seminary of learning, holding a rank between a college and a common school.
College
(UK) An institution of further education at an intermediate level; sixth form.
Academy
A place of training; a school.
College
A high school or secondary school.
Eton College
Academy
A society of learned men united for the advancement of the arts and sciences, and literature, or some particular art or science; as, the French Academy; the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; academies of literature and philology.
College
(Australia) A private (non-government) primary or high school.
Academy
A school or place of training in which some special art is taught; as, the military academy at West Point; a riding academy; the Academy of Music.
College
(Australia) A residential hall associated with a university, possibly having its own tutors.
Academy
A secondary school (usually private)
College
(Singapore) A government high school, short for junior college.
Academy
An institution for the advancement of art or science or literature
College
(in Chile) A bilingual school.
Academy
A school for special training
College
A collection, body, or society of persons engaged in common pursuits, or having common duties and interests, and sometimes, by charter, peculiar rights and privileges; as, a college of heralds; a college of electors; a college of bishops.
The college of the cardinals.
Then they made colleges of sufferers; persons who, to secure their inheritance in the world to come, did cut off all their portion in this.
Academy
A learned establishment for the advancement of knowledge
College
A society of scholars or friends of learning, incorporated for study or instruction, esp. in the higher branches of knowledge; as, the colleges of Oxford and Cambridge Universities, and many American colleges.
College
A building, or number of buildings, used by a college.
College
Fig.: A community.
Thick as the college of the bees in May.
College
The body of faculty and students of a college
College
An institution of higher education created to educate and grant degrees; often a part of a university
College
British slang for prison
College
A complex of buildings in which a college is housed
Common Curiosities
Can academies offer higher education degrees?
Typically, academies do not offer higher education degrees; these are usually offered by colleges or universities.
How does college education differ from academy education?
College education is generally tertiary, offering a broad range of undergraduate and graduate programs, unlike academies that focus on secondary education.
Are colleges part of universities?
Yes, in many cases, colleges are part of universities, focusing on specific areas of study within the university.
What types of degrees can you get at a college?
At a college, you can typically earn associate, bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degrees depending on the institution.
What is the primary focus of an academy?
An academy primarily focuses on specialized secondary education or training in specific fields.
What is the typical age group for academy students versus college students?
Academy students are typically in the secondary school age group, from about 12 to 18 years old, while college students are generally older, usually starting from 18 years upwards.
Are colleges more expensive than academies?
Generally, colleges tend to be more expensive than academies due to the level of education, length of study, and resources required for higher education.
Can academies be part of a college?
It is uncommon for academies to be part of colleges as they operate at different educational levels; however, some colleges may have preparatory programs that resemble academies.
Is the term 'academy' used differently in different countries?
Yes, the term ‘academy’ can vary significantly by country. For example, in the U.S., it often refers to a specialized secondary school, while in the UK, it denotes a type of publicly funded school that is free to attend and not bound by the national curriculum.
Can one transfer from an academy to a college?
Students typically complete their education at an academy and then may choose to attend a college if they meet the admission requirements; direct transfers as part of a continued program are less common.
Do both academies and colleges provide online education options?
Yes, both academies and colleges may offer online education, especially in today's increasingly digital learning environment.
What is the difference between a community college and a liberal arts college?
A community college offers two-year associate degrees and certifications, mainly for vocational or career-oriented education, whereas a liberal arts college offers broad-based undergraduate education focusing on the liberal arts and sciences.
Do academies offer extracurricular activities like colleges?
Yes, academies often offer extracurricular activities similar to those found in colleges, although they might be more tailored towards younger students.
What qualifications are necessary to teach at an academy versus a college?
Teachers at academies usually need at least a bachelor’s degree in education or a specialized subject area, whereas college professors often require a master’s or doctoral degree in their field of expertise.
How do graduation requirements at academies compare to those at colleges?
Graduation requirements at academies typically include completing a set curriculum and passing exams specific to secondary education, while colleges require accumulating a certain number of credits across various subjects and possibly completing a capstone project or thesis depending on the program level.
Do all academies have selective admission policies?
Not all, but many academies have selective admissions, especially those focusing on specialized training or preparatory education.
How does the curriculum in academies compare to that in colleges?
Academies often have a more focused and specialized curriculum based on specific subjects or skill areas, whereas colleges offer a more varied curriculum that includes a range of academic disciplines and professional courses.
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Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
